


Stanley Cups Before Wedding Rings

by JehBeeEh



Series: I am under-prepared, but I am willing [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hockey, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Hockey Player Steve Rogers, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Stanley Cup Playoffs, hockey player bucky barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29188518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh
Summary: Steve Rogers and his team just won the most coveted trophy in hockey. And yet, that's still not the best part of his night.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: I am under-prepared, but I am willing [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136618
Comments: 20
Kudos: 199
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	Stanley Cups Before Wedding Rings

**Author's Note:**

> Oh this AU... Day 8 is brought to you by the end of a soon see the light of day (hopefully? Fingers crossed!) full length hockey AU. And, if you've read a certain fic celebratin the glory of hockey butts I may have written? This one does follow in that series, yes ;)
> 
> Massive thanks for Moody for indulging in my sportsing love, Elwenyere for not needing too much convincing past the words 'Hockey AU' on the page, and Flame for fixing my words and loving these two as much as I did in this one. 
> 
> (And no, I did not plan for this to be posted around the Sportsball tonight ;) )
> 
> Tony Stark Bingo Deets  
> Name of Piece: Stanley Cups Before Wedding Rings  
> Card Number: 4058  
> Name of Participant: JehBeeEh  
> Square Number: R3 - Arena  
> Rating: T  
> Pairing: Steve/Tony  
> Warning: N/A  
> Summary: Steve Rogers and his team just won the most coveted trophy in hockey. And yet, that's still not the best part of his night.  
> WC: 2040

The first thing that went through Steve’s head was how quiet the arena was, all things considered. There was still some cheering - and he could have sworn he heard Tony’s voice, which was impossible, really - but it was muted, almost like he was hearing it under water.

The second thing was how dejected their opponents looked all of a sudden. He’d played McDavid so often now, and he had never seen the kid slow down. That last goal Bucky scored really had done a number on the Oilers.

And then the buzzer sounded, and he was toppled to the ice almost immediately.

“We fucking did it, Stevie!” Bucky screamed in his ear. “We won the goddamned Cup!”

Bucky rolled off him but held onto his arm. Steve barely had time to register what had just happened. He looked at Bucky, wide-eyed as he started saying “we won!” and the rest of the team joined them in a pile of screaming and cheering.

The New York Rangers had just won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1994.

Steve had been so focused on protecting their lead, making sure no one got past them, that he’d lost count of the numbers ticking off the clock. He knew they only had a minute left, but that minute felt like it lasted a whole other period. And now here his team was, celebrating what they’d worked so hard to achieve all year.

And they’d done it!

As much as those last 60 seconds dragged on, the next half hour flew by. Steve normally hated the amount of cameras that were constantly on them, but in this moment he was thankful for the cameras and the PVR he had at home recording this moment because he’d want to see it again.

He willed himself to take every moment in. From shaking hands with the Edmonton Oilers - who’d just suffered a Game 6 loss in their own arena, in front of their own fans and country - to congratulating every member of his team personally - he might be the Captain, but each and every one of them had played a part in the year’s success. He answered question after question from reporters.

Throughout it all, he kept searching the thinning crowd for his people. The two people that meant the world to him and that he’d be forever thankful he hadn’t tried too hard to convince to stay in New York.

Steve stood proudly with his team as the league commissioner appeared on the ice, made a speech and presented the playoff MVP with the Conn Smythe trophy. He was genuinely shocked when his own name was called (he was the only one who hadn’t expected to hear Steve Rogers being called apparently). And that’s when he saw them.

As he took his place for pictures, his mother, Sarah, and his boyfriend, Tony, came into view in the private box Tony had gotten for the team family members who had been able to make the trek. He beamed as he saw Sarah and Tony wrapped in each other’s arms while he stood on the ice for pictures. The moment he dropped the trophy on the bench he waved to them and both of them blew kisses his way. All was right again.

“Fuck, it’s massive,” he mumbled to Bucky as two men carried the Stanley Cup to centre ice to loud music and as much fanfare as there could be with three quarters of the arena now empty.

“That’s what he said,” Bucky replied with a smirk, making Steve shake his head. “You sure you can lift that thing alone?”

“Fuck you, Barnes.” Steve smiled at Bucky as they each threw an arm around the other’s shoulders for a quick hug before Steve was called to grab the trophy. 

The cheer from the remaining fans when Steve hoisted the Stanley Cup above his head was the best thing he’d heard all night. He did a quick lap of the ice before handing it off to Bucky. More interviews and photos happened, the Cup exchanging hands every few minutes around him, before Bucky accosted him.

“Coulson just said they’re about to let everyone on the ice. Still doing it?” he asked, reminding Steve of their earlier conversation.

Before every game, Bucky and Steve took a minute, and stood together in the hallway just outside the locker room before they got on the ice for warm ups, and reminded themselves what they were going out there to do.

_ “Connor won’t make it easy on us,” Bucky stated, shaking off the pre-game jitters. _

_ “Nope. He wants it just as bad as we do. They all do.” Steve bounced on his skates and shook his arms out. _

_ “McDavid is still young though, he’s got time to win a few cups. I don’t think me or most of our guys are sticking around much longer, Stevie. My shoulder’s so fucked-” _

_ “Don’t. Don’t go there.” Steve stared him down. “We’ll figure that out in the off season. One game at a time.” _

_ Bucky took a steadying breath and rolled his shoulders - an unconscious thing he did whenever he brought it up. “Crowd’s on their side too.” _

_ “Most of ‘em.”  _

_ They smiled knowing their partners were here because Tony had managed to get a box at the arena and had flown any spouse or family member that could make it to the game on his private jet. _

_ “We’re bringing the Cup home tomorrow on that plane. No game 7,” Steve said. Bucky gave him a fist bump - all they could truly do with their gloved hands - before Steve added. “And, I’m proposing to Tony tonight.” _

_ “What the- You cannot just drop that on me like that,” Bucky exclaimed, throwing his arms wide. “No pressure to win then, huh?” _

_ Steve huffed out a laugh. “We met here. I’m doing it whether we win or not. Just feels right.” _

_ “Well, let's give Tony a reason to say yes to your punk ass, and make you a Stanley Cup champ when you ask.” _

Steve smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Definitely doing it here. I need to talk to Mom first.” Steve looked over just as the first few family members started trickling on the ice. “Think you can distract Tony for me?”

“It would be my genuine pleasure, Cap,” Bucky answered with a salute as he skated towards the zamboni’s entrance to the ice, where everyone had gathered.

Steve was accosted by another member of the media and quickly lost track of his Assistant Captain and best friend. When he was done, the ice surface was flooded with people. He stopped to accept congratulations from his colleagues’ spouses and a few parents of the younger ones. He could hear Tony calling out for him, but he avoided his (hopefully) future husband. He was on a mission. 

“Captain,” one of their defencemen, Sam, called out. “I was asked to deliver this young lady to you. Make it quick, Barnes is having trouble containing your man.” He skated off as Steve wrapped his mother in a tight hug.

“Have I told you I like Sam? He’s a good one,” Sarah Rogers stated when Steve finally loosened his grip on her. She gave Steve the proudest smile when their eyes finally met before she cupped his face in her hands. “I’m so proud of you, kiddo!”

“Thanks, ma,” Steve managed around the lump in his throat. “Thank you, for everything. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

“You did all the hard work. I just nudged you every now and then. And washed some god awful smelling equipment.” They both laughed as Steve pulled her close again. 

“You did so much more than that. So much more. Love you, ma.”

“Me too, kiddo. Now, I can hear Tony getting closer. Take this, go do your thing. We’ll talk later.” Sarah pressed the ring in his palm and gave him a quick peck on the cheek just as Bucky arrived.

“Ma! You’re here,” Bucky exclaimed as he grabbed Sarah in a bear hug and skated off with her to Steve’s amusement. 

Steve turned to find Tony looking around and cursing Bucky for disappearing on him. He let himself glide the short distance that separated them and hooked an arm around Tony’s waist, causing him to yelp in surprise as they twirled.

“I’m so happy to see you,” Steve mumbled against Tony’s neck, making the other man chuckle.

“Really? You just won the most coveted trophy in hockey, and you’re excited to see  _ me _ ?” Tony laughed.

“Always excited to see you.” Steve pulled back enough to bring their lips together, an awkward feat given their height difference with Steve a few inches higher on his skates, and how broadly they were both smiling.

“I’m so proud of you, baby. You worked so damned hard. You deserve this. So much,” Tony said, each sentence punctuated by a kiss. 

“Couldn’t’ve done it without you,” Steve answered. He looked around making sure there were no reporters within earshot, but most had started to make their way towards the locker room. “Seriously, I really could not have done this without you, Tony.”

“Any time, hot stuff. Do it again next year?” Tony smirked at him.

Steve shook his head and laughed. “I know things have been insane since we started dating, what two and a half years ago now? I have not, for one second, regretted this. Even that first year when everything was so much harder. Getting to come home to you has been what’s been keeping me sane. I always thought, because of everything I was, I’d just be single until I decided to retire, you know? I didn’t think it’d be fair to subject anyone else to all of this. You absolutely proved me wrong.”

“Steve,” Tony murmured, pulling their heads together with his free hand.

“It was never about subjecting anyone to all this craziness. It was about finding the right person to share it with. Finding you has made me better all around. I’m a better hockey player. A better friend. A better son. A better man. You bring out the very best in me. Parts of me I thought I’d lost.”

“Are you saying I complete you?” Tony teased. Steve pulled back with a laugh, noticing the shine in Tony’s eyes.

“I will say no such thing,” he retorted just as playfully. “But, I will say I do not want to go one more day without asking you to be my husband.”

“You- What?”

“Marry me.”

Tony just stared at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about? I know we joked about Stanley Cups before wedding talk, but come on. You just had the most amazing night of your NHL career! You won  _ two _ trophies tonight! Enjoy those, we can talk about this another time-”

Steve shook his head. “Nope. I’m asking now. I was going to ask regardless how the game went. Marry me, Tony Stark.”

“Of course I’ll marry you,” Tony breathed out wetly.

Steve didn’t waste time and slid the band on his finger before pulling Tony into a twirling hug, making them both laugh. When Steve finally lowered him to the ice again, he couldn’t resist kissing him as Tony’s hands made their way to Steve’s face, scratching at the overgrown beard he was sporting.

“You are not allowed to shave,” Tony reminded him as his hands travelled lower to rest on Steve’s chest.

“Minor trim, that’s all. Promise.”

“I can’t believe you asked me  _ this _ after winning the Stanley Cup,” Tony voiced as he examined the ring on his finger set against Steve’s Rangers jersey.

“Meh, it’s just an empty cup,” Steve replied with a smirk, earning himself a slap on the chest.

“Seriously?! You’ll quote  _ Cars _ , but not  _ Jerry McGuire _ ?” Tony huffed.

“It’s a classic, what can I say?”

“I’m engaged to a toddler.”

“Excuse you. Conn Smythe AND Stanley Cup winning toddler.”

Tony pulled Steve in for a kiss before they got hounded by Steve’s teammates who’d noticed something was going on with their Captain - no doubt helped along by Bucky telling everyone of Steve’s plan.

Stanley Cup or not, this was without a doubt the best night ever.


End file.
